Cheap
by TheWitch'sCat
Summary: A little expansion of a scene...semi-Fiyeraba. Just some things I thought Galinda would have noticed. And I needed to write some Elphie.


**So here's a little nugget that was swimming around in my brain. I missed writing about my Elphie. This is kind of an extension of a scene from the musical. Call it...a scene expanded. It's just some things I think might've been said. **

**Enjoy, and review.**

* * *

Elphaba flew through the rolling, angry storm clouds over Oz, letting the wind whip her long hair around her shoulders. As she clutched the broom, with her body hunched over for a smoother flight, she struggled to focus. She knew her main concern should be her sister, and whatever trouble she might be in. However, Elphaba's thoughts kept wandering back to the man she'd left in the forest.

She'd had a short, two hours with Fiyero. After he'd absolutely floored her by deciding to leave his own engagement party to run away with her, they'd flown from the palace and lost themselves in the vast, Gillikin Forest. He'd marveled at the experience of flight, and she'd been quiet, pensive even. They'd stood there after landing, with her looking at him uncertainly.

Elphaba had half-expected him to make sure she was safely away from the Gale Force, and then to flee in search of civilization. She had waited to hear him say that his confession of feelings for her had been a careful ruse to distract the Wizard into letting them go. She waited for him to make his escape. Instead, he had shocked her to her core by kissing her. He had laid her back in the soft, natural carpeting of the forest, and had unraveled her.

Fiyero had pulled off her heavy, high-necked dress, and she'd been too dumbfounded to resist. Then, he had looked at her body. With her laid out there, exposed, he had done a slow, thorough exploration of her. And she'd been terrified. However, instead of the usual, disgusted reaction she'd become used to, she'd seen a hunger in his eyes. Then, he'd kissed her again, and the world spun around her.

As their encounter progressed, Elphaba had never felt more vulnerable, more alive, alert, and overwhelmed. In just two hours, she went from being a woman who'd never been kissed, to screaming in a rich, guttural reaction to Fiyero's lovemaking. He had left her speechless, and with a renewed sense of purpose. Under the stars and in his arms, she'd found a new reason to fight for a better life.

Now, she was flying toward her sister, panicked. She hadn't wanted to leave Fiyero behind. She'd wanted to stay with him until dawn, and make sure that he was still real in the daylight. She'd wanted to keep fleeing, to make their way to the Animal refugee camps in Fliaan, or beyond. However, Nessarose was her sister. She was the only sister Elphaba would ever have, and not even Nessa's shrill, haughty attitude could break that bond. So Elphaba flew toward her, hoping to make it in time.

She landed in a field, just a short distance away from Center Munch. Watching the scene before her unfold, she was shocked, then devastated and enraged. She felt as though she'd been struck breathless, when she realized Nessarose had been killed in the cyclone. She clenched her fists and grit her teeth at the way the Munchkinlanders paraded around, celebrating her sister's death and hoping for her own demise. Elphaba began to hate them, for their tunnel vision and prejudice. She hated the little girl, Dorothy, for being so stupidly naïve.

She let it all overwhelm her. Elphaba, still flooded with all the feelings of having been with Fiyero, couldn't handle another sudden, unexpected, twist of her emotions. So she went a bit mad. She stormed Center Munch, shrieking and raving and threatening. She lashed out at Dorothy, a girl she'd never met before, but blamed thoroughly for Nessa's death. She screamed at the Munchkinlanders and demanded the shoes that were the only good thing she'd ever managed to do for her sister. Then, still entirely unsatisfied, Elphaba disappeared in a whirl of smoke.

She knew she'd further cemented her image as the Wicked Witch. She knew she'd only made them more angry and afraid. She'd hurt her cause and her mission for peace, but it was hard to care. It was getting harder and harder to believe that good deeds were ever rewarded. So she seethed, and watched Dorothy parade away in her sister's shoes.

* * *

Galinda, dressed in her fanciest, most bedazzled and stunning gown, watched the entire scene. Once Elphaba was gone, she tried to keep the peace and calm a terrified Dorothy. She smoothed over the feelings of the Munchkinlanders and finally sent Dorothy on her way to the Wizard. How successful of an endeavor that might be, she couldn't say, but it at least guaranteed that she'd know where the little girl was for the next few days. It had just seemed better to offer hope, rather than express her complete lack of confidence that any of them could ever get the girl home to Kansas.

Then, exhausted from having not slept at all the night before, Galinda crossed to the field just beyond the center of the little town and took a few deep breaths. She studied the sky, which was still streaked with storm clouds. For a fleeting moment, she wondered about the timing. She dared to think about what the chances were that this storm had come through just a few hours after she'd told Madame Morrible to use Nessa to get at Elphaba. Galinda pushed the thoughts away, though. She didn't want to believe that the Wizard or his Press Secretary could be that cruel. She would rather believe it was just a terrible coincidence.

She picked a few wildflowers, and was just laying them near the shattered house, in reverence to Nessarose, when a familiar voice broke into the moment. Galinda didn't have to turn to know that it was Elphie.

"What a touching display of grief."

Galinda, still both hurt and angry, stood. Without turning, she said, "I don't believe we have anything further to say to one another."

Elphaba continued, unimpeded, "I wanted something to remember her by! All that was left of her were those shoes! And now that wretched little farm girl has walked off with them! So I would appreciate some time alone, to say goodbye to my sister!"

In spite of herself, Galinda felt a twinge of compassion for her friend. Elphaba was clearly distraught, and she'd lost her only sister. As strained as their relationship had been, Nessarose had still been family, and Galinda knew that Elphie had always felt a sense of responsibility for her sister. So she stepped back, giving Elphaba some space.

Galinda felt the bitterness around her heart fade a little when Elphaba dropped to her knees and whimpered, "Nessa. Oh Nessa…please forgive me…"

Trying to be comforting, Galinda said softly, "Oh Elphie, don't blame yourself. It's dreadful, it is, to have a house fall on you, but…accidents will happen…"

Snapping her head up, Elphaba's tone was icy as she replied, "You call this an accident?"

"Yes," Galinda sputtered, "Well, maybe not an accident, but…"

"What would you call it?" Elphaba demanded, standing to face off with Galinda.

Galinda struggled, trying to convince herself this wasn't her fault, "Well…a…regime change, brought on by a sudden, and…unexpected…twister of fate."

Elphaba took a step towards her, and spat, "So you think cyclones just appear? Out of the blue?"

"I don't know… I never really…"

"Oh of course you never!" Elphaba raged on, "You're too busy telling everyone how wonderful everything is!"

"Well, I'm a public figure now!" Galinda defended, "People expect me to—"

"Lie?" Elphaba snapped.

"Be encouraging!" Galinda shrieked, "And what have you been doing, anyway? Besides riding around on that filthy old thing…" she indicated Elphaba's broom.

Elphaba narrowed her eyes, and Galinda knew she'd struck a nerve. She knew she'd insulted one of the things that made Elphaba who she was. She'd lashed out at the very spell that had once left her in awe of her friend's abilities in sorcery.

Livid, Elphaba growled, "Well, we can't all come and go by _bubble_!"

Galinda was somewhat humbled, because the bubble was not even a result of her own magic. And, suddenly, it did seem a little childish.

"Who's invention was that anyway?" Elphaba plowed on, "The Wizard's? Even if it wasn't, I'm sure he'd still take credit for it…"

For Galinda, the statement touched a nerve. She'd just spent a sleepless night mourning the loss of her fiancé. She'd spent twelve hours feeling inadequate, unloved, and entirely pathetic. She felt cheated, and she was both wounded and angry. So, out of her bitterness, she said, "Well, a lot of us are taking things that don't belong to us, aren't we?"

Elphaba was a bit shaken, Galinda could tell. While she struggled for an answer, Galinda studied her. In reaction to Galinda's statement, Elphaba self-consciously began to pull at her dress and pluck leaves from her hair. She looked away, and was not able to meet Galinda's eyes. Suddenly, Galinda felt a rush of sickening realization sweep over her.

She raked her eyes over Elphaba, and took in the subtle differences from the night before. Her dark hair, which, as of late, was usually so meticulously knotted behind her head, was loose and tumbled down her back. It was cut through with leaves, twigs, and other forest detritus. Her dress, which was already well-worn, was further disheveled. Looking more closely, Galinda could see that Elphaba had missed some of the tiny buttons that lined the back of the dress. There were more leaves caught in the layered ruching and intricate beadwork, as well.

With a heavy feeling in her stomach, Galinda stepped closer and plucked a leaf from Elphaba's hair. She asked icily, "Did you have a fight with the forest on your way here?"

Elphaba's eyes widened, and then she recovered, saying, "I _flew_ through a forest. To help my sister."

"You fly above the trees, Elphie," Galinda countered, "Not through them."

Elphaba set her lips in a thin line and did not answer.

"It looks to me like you've been rolling around on the forest floor," Galinda said tightly.

"I'm homeless, Galinda. I don't have a _palace_ to sleep in," Elphaba shot back.

"I don't think," Galinda stated, "that you've been doing much _sleeping_."

When she stepped closer, to pluck another twig from Elphaba's hair, Galinda suddenly caught the overwhelming scent of him. It was the smell of fresh soap and cologne, mixed with sweat and the wool of his uniform. It was Fiyero's scent, and Elphaba was covered in it. Galinda stepped back, because she suddenly hurt like someone had knocked the wind from her.

Fiyero had taken months to sleep with her. He'd put her off for some time, claiming he hadn't been ready to commit. And even when he'd given in, she'd always felt like she might be missing something. She'd never felt quite as connected as she'd imagined they would be. He'd always seemed, distracted. Still, she thought he'd loved her. She thought that, eventually, it would be enough.

Clearly, Fiyero's reaction to Elphaba had been quite different. He hadn't even been able to get out of the forest without making love to her. He must have wanted her with an incredibly raw, driving passion to have risked their safety in such a way. Galinda could only imagine the intensity of what must have happened, to leave his scent clinging to Elphaba and half the forest in her hair. The idea of it pained her, because she was certain Fiyero had never wanted her that way.

Feeling wounded and horribly betrayed, Galinda surveyed Elphaba once more, and spat, "You filthy, filthy woman! What kind of lady sleeps with someone they barely know? In the dirt!"

Elphaba reeled, and Galinda caught the hurt in her eyes before it turned to anger, "I do know him, Galinda. You know very well that you and Fiyero were my only friends," she said in a low voice.

"Oh, that's right," Galinda continued coldly, "You do know him. Because you've been carrying on behind my back all this time!"

"I told you, Galinda," Elphaba growled, "it wasn't like that."

"Then you must really be a tramp, to jump into bed with him! Even though there wasn't a proper _bed_ involved," Galinda snapped back.

Elphaba narrowed her eyes, her hands trembling in anger, "You can't force him to love you, Galinda. You can't force him to marry you, although I know you tried…"

"I would've married him!" Galinda shrieked, "If you hadn't shown up and…seduced him!"

Elphaba looked away for a moment, as though she were trying to compose herself. When she turned back around, she clutched her broom tightly and stated, "I cannot believe…that you are taking the first, real thing that's ever happened to me, the first truly genuine thing I've ever experienced…and are treating it like some sort of cheap, sideshow performance!"

"Well," Galinda surprised herself at how callous she sounded, "since you used the word _cheap_…"

Elphaba raised her head, glaring at the petite blonde, "I am not _cheap,_ Galinda. Fiyero will pay a very high price for running away with me."

"Well," Galinda sniffed haughtily, "I'm sure all of the rampant, outdoor lovemaking will make it easier for him!"

There was a cold, angry undercurrent in Elphaba's voice as she said, "I cannot believe you're doing this, Galinda. I cannot believe you're destroying something so…personal…for me."

"Well," Galinda tossed her curls, "maybe I would've been happy for you, if he was yours to have."

Elphaba squared off with her friend, then, leveling Galinda with a harsh stare as she said, "Now wait just a clock tick. I know that's it's difficult for that blissful, blonde brain of yours to comprehend that someone like him, could actually chose someone like _me. _But it's happened. It's real. And you can wave that ridiculous wand of yours all you want…you can't change it. He doesn't belong to you. He doesn't love you, and he never did! He loves me. He wants _me_."

Galinda, enraged to her breaking point, drew her hand back and slapped Elphaba hard across the face.

Elphaba stumbled back, stunned. Then, realizing how pathetic Galinda's attack had been, she let out a long, shrill cackle that split the hazy air around them. Finally, she asked harshly, "Feel better?"

Galinda smirked a little and said, "Yes, I do."

Elphaba drew back her own arm and struck Galinda hard across her cheek, "Good," she screamed, "So do I!"

With another shriek, Elphaba lunged at Galinda. Throwing down both glittery wand and dusty broom, they wrestled with each other, grabbing and clawing in a whirl of blue, black and green. Galinda was just reaching for a fistful of black hair when the Gale Force stormed the field and pulled them apart. Apologizing profusely, they gave her back her wand as she straightened her clothes. There was a quiet moment then, with three of the guards restraining Elphaba, and Galinda clutching the strange, pointed hat that had once been a gift.

Galinda looked at her friend, who was staring at the ground and breathing heavily from the struggle. Suddenly, Galinda realized the gravity of what she'd done. When Elphie looked up, she could see that she understood, as well. Galinda had turned her friend over to people who wanted to lock her up, perhaps even kill her.

Elphaba stared at her with wounded eyes, and said very softly, "I cannot believe you would stoop this low. I cannot believe you would use my sister's death…as a trap to capture me."

And then, as one of the guards jerked Elphaba's arms behind her back to silence her, Galinda felt a wave of sickening remorse. She'd sentenced her friend to some sort of terrible punishment, and betrayed the trust they shared. She'd called her a tramp and mocked her first experience with love. All for a man who would never love her the way he loved Elphie. For a man she wanted mostly because of the way he looked on her arm. It seemed very shallow, all of a sudden. As she looked at Elphaba again, trapped and defeated, Galinda felt absolutely sickened by what she'd done.

And then Fiyero stormed the scene, and all chaos broke out. Galinda was terrified by the waving of guns and threatening of herself, and others. She stood very still as Fiyero demanded Elphaba's release and gave her back the magicked broom. Watching him, Galinda understood something. She realized that he would never love her that way. He never had. So, even though her heart was broken, Galinda gave in. She gave Elphaba back her hat and watched her run off into the forest.

Then, as the guards whipped around and seized Fiyero, Galinda panicked a little. Begging for his release, with tears in her voice, she looked at him and said, "Don't you see? He was never going to harm me. He just…" her voice cracked, "He loves her."

Fiyero didn't have time to respond before the guards dragged him away.


End file.
